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AIBU?

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Original poster

To find it offensive when people use "blonde" as a derogatory term?

71 replies

PeachesMcLean · 22/02/2007 22:16

I've just watched the opening of some second rate sit com in which the female voiceover referred to a girl as useless and "well, a bit blonde".

My natural hair colour is not a reflection of my intelligence. I find it offensive to suggest that my colour would have any impact on my personality.

Can I rely on you all to avoid perpetuating this type of comment? I don't think I'm being over sensitive. Having said that, TV programme looks crap so maybe it's just that they're stupid.

OP posts:
charlieq · 22/02/2007 22:16

I don't think you are being unreasonable Peaches. It's lazy stereotyping.

NotQuiteCockney · 22/02/2007 22:16

It is an offensive stereotype. And one that only applies to women - they're always talking about blondes, not blonds.

saadia · 22/02/2007 22:19

I was thinking about how unfair this is when I was reading Little Miss Sunshine to ds today - Little Miss Dotty, who is in it (and is dotty) was blonde. I just found it very strange that the writer made her blonde, there was no mention of any other character's hair colour.

Nikki76 · 22/02/2007 22:19

Ooops - I did joke earlier that maybe I was being blonde here on MN but when I'm referring to myself I think its ok cos I can take the pi** out of myself and besides, I know I'm not thick as have a BSc

Bugsy2 · 22/02/2007 22:20

Oh dear, I say that I'm blonde whenever I'm being dopey. However, I do also refer to blokes as blond too, when they are being dim. So I might be colourist, but not sexist!

3andnomore · 22/02/2007 22:20

lol....hm...I am blond, but can't say I am bothered about it...lol....indeed I tend to use that as an excuse when I have a Ditzy day

mateychops · 22/02/2007 22:28

Fake blonde, and don't care. No-one has ever used the 'blonde' against me - and probably wouldn't dare.

Original poster
PeachesMcLean · 22/02/2007 22:33

I know I'm not thick. I have a certain number of qualifications myself.
I just don't buy this "reclaiming the language" shit. The "it's ok to say it about myself" cliche. The problem being, that in this particular example, it wasn't a blonde saying it about herself. It is frequently said about third parties.

Now if I were black....???
(Admittedly blondes haven't been subject to a persecution comparable with black people over the centuries but I use that as an example of how it's wrong to judge by appearance. That's how strongly I feel about it.)

OP posts:
Original poster
PeachesMcLean · 22/02/2007 22:34

Hi mateychops, no-one's ever said it to my face either. Not recently anyway. I can't imagine why they wouldn't dare????!!!

OP posts:
hunkerdave · 22/02/2007 22:35

Nope, can't get worked up about it.

mateychops · 22/02/2007 22:35

(whispers)
'Cos in RL, I'm a bit scary.

Original poster
PeachesMcLean · 22/02/2007 22:37

I wish I was could be that chilled Hunker, I just object to being called thick because of the way I look.
(Now, thick because I've done somthing stupid - sometimes I just have to put my hand up...)

OP posts:
mateychops · 22/02/2007 22:39

but no-one has called you thick, right?
Oh, I wish there was a confused emotion.

flutterdave · 22/02/2007 22:42

Yes but then surely you must see red when someone uses the term "Blondes have more fun" because that is just lazy sterotyping and offensive to anyone of any other hair colour.

Original poster
PeachesMcLean · 22/02/2007 22:42

Sorry, I'm wound up so might not be making sense...

It's when blonde = ditzey = dopey = thick. The general stereotype. It's not that someone's said it to me, it was the comment on TV that someone was described as "a bit blonde" suggesting she was all of those words above.

OP posts:
flutterdave · 22/02/2007 22:47

I think your right to steer clear of the black comment because even mentioning it in this debate is pretty silly.

hunkerdave · 22/02/2007 22:48

Ach, just dye yer hair

flutterdave · 22/02/2007 22:50

@ hunker

mateychops · 22/02/2007 22:50
Grin
3andnomore · 22/02/2007 22:53

lol Peachy, I know what you are getting at, but I still can't get worked up about it...but then, I still don't really get the serious offensiveness of calling a lil coloured Child a cheekey lil monkey...and I know that that is apparently so wrong, and,I can proudly say I resisted that urge...not because I BELIEVE it's racism or would use it in such way, but I have to accept that soemone else might not feel the same...but the other day a lil mixed race (hope that isn't offensive...but well, he had a black mum and white Dad)Boy was peekaboing and things to me/with me and was so cheekey, but I resisted the urge to call him a cheekey lil monkey, instead I called him a cheekey lil Boy, thought that might be the safer bet...but wondering off topic...anyway, the way I see it is, that because I personally don't find that an issue I would be wrong finding this an issue!

pointydog · 22/02/2007 22:57

\you are being unreasonable.

'Cause all blonds think it is absolutely the bees' knees to have blond hair.

They do not mean it when they bleat.

pointydog · 22/02/2007 22:57

sunshine is yellow, blond is yellow

hence little miss sunshine

not a conspiracy theory

mateychops · 22/02/2007 23:00

jaundice is yellow
parched earth of a desert is yellow

Original poster
PeachesMcLean · 22/02/2007 23:03

I don't think anyone would try calling me little miss sunshine.

OP posts:
mateychops · 22/02/2007 23:05

Especially after watching that second rate sit-com